Jinja

After that intense post, I thought I would lighten the mood and share my experience in Jinga, Uganda. Pete, a Fullbright Scholar living and teaching in Bungoma, Alyssa, Ali and I headed to Jinja two weekends ago to experience white water rafting down the Nile. IT WAS AWESOME. I'll give you a quick update on the weekend and then the pictures can explain themselves.

Jinja is about a 5 hour matatu ride from Bungoma town. We arrived there around 8 PM and got a taxi to the camp we were staying. It's called Raft Africa and they have a sweet set up. It's an enclosed compound with dormitory style rooms, NICE bathrooms with HOT water, restaurant, bar and office...all of which over looks the Nile River. Fun fact: the Nile's source is in Jinga and the river flows North to Egypt. Saturday morning we were taken to the spot where we would begin our adventure. After breakfast and the manager scaring us to death about getting trapped under the water, we got in the raft. Our guide was Joshua and probably one of the best (as we were told by a previous rafter). After practicing our paddling technique we actually flipped the raft over and he told was what to do if it happens in the rapids. Thank God because it happened twice. The first one was a class 4 rapid but there were two in a row. Our raft managed to stay upright during the first but during the 2nd, we were catapulted into the raging river. I felt like I was in a washing machine, underwater forever. When I resurfaced (yes, Mom I was wearing a lifejacket and helmet), I found myself under the raft and immediately freaked out (go figure). As I am trying to go under water and come out on the other side another rapid hits me in the face and I legit swallowed about a gallon of water. I resurface once again to find Ali by my side, screaming, "That was so awesome!!! Let's do it again!!!!" Meanwhile, I'm coughing my lungs out and gasping for air...a bit like I was dying. We get back in the raft and Pete is no where to be found. We look behind us and he is curled around the front of one of the kayaks in the fetal position. Moral of the story: we all survived and it was pretty exhilarating. The 2nd time we flipped is pictured below. It was more enjoyable as we were able to ride the rest of the rapid in the water, with our heads above, breathing. Enjoy the pictures! It was an absolutely amazing experience and I want to go back!!!!